Patrick Cutrone should be worried as report shares Wolves’ January plans

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Patrick Cutrone has scored just one Premier League goal since joining Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers from AC Milan.

Patrick Cutrone scored his second goal for Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night but you found find too many fans in the Black Country who have been won over by the Italian just yet.

A £23 million signing from AC Milan over the summer (Sky), the arrival of Cutrone was supposed to herald another step forwards for one of Europe’s most ambitious clubs. Wolves, Championship mid-table fodder just two years ago, now have the pulling power to sign a young Italy international from the seven-time Champions of Europe – quite the feat.

But Cutrone’s first few weeks at Molineux have perhaps offered an indication about why Milan were only too happy to cash in. Two goals in 17 games is hardly befitting of a £23 million striker and, even after he clipped a tidy finish into the net in the midweek EFL Cup defeat to Aston Villa, he spoiled a promising display by wasting an excellent chance late on as Wolves bowed out in the fourth round.

It’s telling that even manager Nuno Espirito Santo was willing to admit this week, in quotes reported by Sky Sports, that Cutrone was yet to live up to expectations, however lofty they might have been.

So the last thing the 21-year-old needed to hear right now is that Wolves are planning to sign a new forward in the January transfer window. That is according to the Mail, who have also linked Lille’s Brazilian starlet Gabriel Magalhaes to the club as they search for a Willy Boly replacement.

The report doesn’t name names but it does suggest that Cutrone’s erratic start to life in England is a major contributing factor as Nuno aims to strengthen a forward line which remains perhaps a little over-reliant upon the magisterial Mexican Raul Jimenez.

So the gauntlet is set. Cutrone has two months to prove his worth or risk falling down the pecking order.

It’s far too soon to write the youngster off, of course but, after being left on the bench against Newcastle, criticised by Nuno in the press and with the prospect of a new striker arriving, it seems that time might already be against a man who was AC Milan’s number one striker this time last year.